SCHERER IN UK DRUG DELIVERY DEAL

R P Scherer of the USA has entered into an agreement with UK-based Co-ordinated Drug Development over two novel drug delivery systems. Subsidiary Scherer DDS is to fund a feasibility assessment of the two systems for a period of 12 months, in return for an exclusive option to acquire or license the technology at the end of the evaluation period.

One of the systems relates to two unique patent-pending innovations which combine to improve the delivery of pharmaceutical compounds to the lung. A carrier material has been designed which enhances drug loading, and a new dry powder inhaler design offers improved penetration of the drug to the lungs, according to R P Scherer, which adds that the hope is that the system may be suitable for delivery of peptide and protein-based therapies.

The second system is a patented oral controlled-release tablet technology which promises the "unique ability to accelerate the release of a compound as it passes through the gastrointestinal tract." Because, normally, the degree of absorption of a drug tends to decrease as it moves down the tract, this system should enable the delivery of blood levels of drug which are significantly less variable than with existing technologies.